Wallowa Lake in late June?

[rogerdodger]

Planning to get over to fish for big kokes next summer, anyone know how Wallowa fishes in late June?

 

[C_Run]

I can't speak to this from personal experience but I recall on some other forum, people griping how the kokanee at Wallowa used to be big and lately they are really dinky. I don't know the explanation. How about going up to Lake Chelan?

 

[rogerdodger]

Wallowa Lake in late June?

too cheap to pay non-resident license fees, plenty of good OR options, was hoping Wallowa was still one, haven't been there since Scout camp in the mid-70's.

 

[C_Run]

too cheap to pay non-resident license fees, plenty of good OR options

Me, too. Lots of intriguing waters in Washington but I can't even seem to make it to Siltcoos ever. Bill Herzog had written an article about Chelan kokanee in STS earlier this year I think. So many waters, so little time.

 

[OnTheDrop]

I would go.. We use to go there when I was younger. Big Kokes, but nobody talks about the 20" + bows around.... Magnificent country!

I'll write you a PM soon Rodg!

 

[rogerdodger]

Wallowa Lake in late June?

thanks for the input!

 

[fredewebb]

I lived in Joseph Oregon from 1991-2010. Wallowa Lake was just across town. I fished it at least 4 times per week all those years. Kokanee were generally small, except for that super year that the "World Record" Kokanee was caught. Lots of big Kokanee were caught that year. Studies there proved that the small Kokanee feed on plankton. That was the food sourse for the fresh water shrimp that were in the lake. Shrimp were "down", and the shrimp were what put on the growth on the Kokanee. The state park at the head of the lake, was set up to allow the sewage to drain into the lake. There was weed growth along that end of the lake. Later on, the sewage from the park was updated. It's a pretty squeeky clean lake now. All those years the towns water supply was lake water, and it smelled like fish. I think the Kokanee are still stocked from the Paulina Lake fish. Friends living at the lake say fishing is way down.
Life is good,
Fred

 

[Fish-On Fred]

Thanks for the info on Wallowa Lake. I have always wanted to go there and probably will . Fred

 

[rogerdodger]

other feedback I got was also that kokes are back to normal size, the huge fish years do seem to have passed...we are going to focus on GP, Odell and also take a 'kayak-hike' around Waldo Lake this summer...but I would still like to get out on Wallowa on our next trip to the east side...

 

[Gramps]

I was there the first week of June this year. The largest Kokanee I got was 6", lots of them but small

 

[fredewebb]

I was there the first week of June this year. The largest Kokanee I got was 6", lots of them but small

Hi guys,
I've fished East Lake and Paulina Lake this spring a lot. There seems to be two sizes of Kokanee in both lakes. The larger are about 13+" and nice and fat. Tried Cresent Lake one time and all the fish were very small. Tried for bass at Davis Lake but no luck. Back to East Lake after this weekend.
Life is good,
Fred

 

[jhop111]

Wallowa lakes kokanee are very small. I was there the 2nd week of this month. However the trout were exceptional and with the scenery and other stuff Joseph offers I'd go back again.